Has Arch Manning been dealing either arm or shoulder pain in the first two weeks of the college football season?
Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian emphatically said no to a question in his Sept. 8 media availability on the clip that has surfaced on social media of Manning showing a grimace in his face during a side-arm pass in the Longhorns Week 2 win over San Jose State.
‘According to who? Arch said that to you?’ Sarkisian responded back to the reporter. After that brief follow up question from Sakisian, the reporter replied ‘no’ to which the fifth-year Longhorn coach said Manning ‘doesn’t have any’ injuries.
Manning, the nephew of NFL Super Bowl winning quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning, is coming off a bounce back performance in Week 2 vs. the Spartans after losing in Week 1 to Ohio State. The 6-foot-4 quarterback finished for 295 passing yards and five total touchdowns while becoming the fifth Longhorn quarterback to throw for at least four touchdown passes in the first half of a game.
Texas is set to face UTEP on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 4:15 p.m. ET at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas.
Here’s what to know about Sarkisian’s comments and more:
Arch Manning injury update
Though Sarkisian mentioned that Manning isn’t dealing with any upper body injury, there has been a clip of a play from Texas’ 38-7 win win over San Jose State on Sept. 6 that has surfaced social media to think he might be.
In the attached clip, one can see ESPN’s camera catch Manning showing some discomfort through his facial expressions after going through his throwing progressions to make a pass. Warning: Video contains expletive.
Asked about the grimace facial expression after that throw following the game when meeting with reporters, Manning downplayed it himself.
‘Probably so,’ Manning said when asked if it is something he does after every throw. ‘I don’t even know.’
Manning also showed some additional grimaces while making passing attempts in Texas’ Week 1 loss to Ohio State. In that loss, Manning completed 17 of 30 passes for 170 yards while throwing a touchdown pass and an interception.
What did Steve Sarkisian say about Arch Manning injury speculations?
While meeting with reporters ahead of Texas’ Week 3 game vs. Sarkisian downplayed any speculation that his star quarterback is playing injured.
‘He doesn’t have any (injuries),’ Sarkisian said. ‘ I don’t know. I’ve never filmed any of you guys when you’re using the bathroom, so I don’t know what kind of faces you’re making when you are doing that.’
Arch Manning stats
Here’s a look at Manning’s year-by-year stats at Texas:
2023: 2 of 5 (40%) passing for 30 yards; three carries for seven rushing yards
2024: 61 of 90 (67.8%) passing for 939 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions; 25 carries for 108 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns
2025: 36 of 60 (60%) passing for 465 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions; 14 carries for 61 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown
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